Sri Dalada Maligawa / Temple of the Tooth

In Kandy, Sri Lanka, there is a Buddhist temple called Sri Dalada Maligawa. It is situated within the complex of the former Kingdom of Kandy's royal palace, which also houses a tooth-of-Buddha relic. The relic has been significant in local politics since the beginning because it is thought that whoever controls the relic controls the nation. The relic was once in the possession of Sinhalese kings. Mostly because of the temple and the artifact, the temple of the tooth is a World Heritage Site.Daily worship is performed in the inner chamber of the temple by the two specific chapters, the Malwathu and Asgiri chapters. Three rituals are carried out each day: one in the morning, one at noon, and one in the evening. Every Wednesday, the relic is symbolically bathed in a holy water known as Nanumura Mangallaya, which is believed to have healing properties. This herbal preparation is made from scented water and fragrant flowers.Bombings by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in 1998 and Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna in 1989 both caused damage to the temple. But each time it was fully restored.

Sri Dalada Maligawa History.

The left tooth of Gautama Buddha is kept in veneration at the revered Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. The temple, which is visited daily by tens of thousands of local and foreign pilgrims, was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1988.

The temple, which is highly revered by Buddhists all over the world, is also of immeasurable cultural importance. The building's architecture combines the distinctive Kandyan architectural style with that of the shrines known as "Dalada Mandira" that once held the Sacred Tooth Relic in other kingdoms.

The Sacred Tooth Relic Temple is located in Kandy, close to the former Royal Palace, which is to the north, and the "Udawaththa Kelaya" Forest Reserve, which is to the east. Famous Kandy Lake is also known as "Kiri Muhuda" to the south and "Natha & Paththini Devala" to the west. The temple is ornamented with fine carvings made of ivory, gold, silver, bronze, and other materials.

The final resting place for the Buddha's sacred tooth relic is the holy city of Kandy. Princess Hemamala and Prince Dantha transported the sacred relic to Sri Lanka from the ancient Indian city of Kalinga during the rule of King Keerthi Sri Meghavarna (Kithsiri Mewan 301–328). Wherever the capital was located, it was carefully guarded in a special shrine that was built inside the walls of the royal palace and became a symbol of Sri Lankan kings. Ancient capitals Anuradhapura, Pollonnaruwa, Dambadeniya, Yapahuwa, Kurunegala, Kotte, and Gampola all have such structures' ruins still standing. The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, which is located in Kandy, the last Kingdom, continues to be the most important shrine and is highly revered throughout the Buddhist world.

King Wimaladharmasuriya constructed the first "Dalada Madura" in Kandy, which housed the Sacred Tooth Relic, between the years of 1592 and 1604. This was obliterated by the Portuguese during their invasions, according to history. During his rule from 1635 to 1687, King Rajasinghe the Second constructed a second temple at the same site, but the Dutch set it on fire and destroyed it. According to Dalada history, in the year 1687, King Wimaladharmasuriya the Second erected a three-story Dalada Madura and engaged in intense devotional rituals, but over time, the structure deteriorated and was destroyed. The two-story Dalada Madura that is visible today was built by his son King Sri Veera Parakrama Narendrasinghe, who ruled from 1707 to 1739. The shrine that King Narendrasinghe built was renovated and guarded by the South Indian Kings who ruled the nation from Senkadagala. 

King Keerthi Sri Rajasinghe meticulously renovated and embellished the temple to give it its current appearance. The Octagonal Pavilion, also known as Paththirippuwa, was built by King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe, who ruled from 1798 to 1815.

The three chief custodians of the Tooth Relic—the Most Venerable Mahanayake Theros of Malwatta and Asgiriya chapters and the lay custodian, the Diyawadana Nilame—continue to strictly monitor the protection of the Sacred Tooth Relic and the continuous performance of religious rituals.

Attacks on the building

Paththirippuwa

In an effort to seize the relic, the militant group Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) attacked the temple in 1989. The royal palace's front side was damaged in an attack in 1998 by the militant group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

Architecture

Inside the Temple of the Tooth

The golden canopy over the main shrine

The Bogambara lake and moat's brick wall are together referred to as the "water waves wall."[4] Lamps made of coconut oil are lit through holes in this wall. Maha Wahalkada is the name of the main entrance gate, which is located over the moat. A Sandakada pahana (moonstone) that is carved in the Kandyan architectural style is located at the base of the Mahawahalkada steps. A bomb explosion in 1998 completely destroyed Mahawahalkada; it was later rebuilt alongside other stone carvings like Sandakada pahana.On either side of the entrance, there are stone carvings of elephants. On top of the staircase are two guardian stones and a Makara Torana.

 The chamber of the Hewisi drummers is located in front of the main shrine. "Palle malaya" (lower floor) and "Udu malaya" (upper floor) or "Weda hidina maligawa" are the names of the main shrine's two floors. Weda Hidina Maligawa's doors feature ivory carvings. The "Handun kunama" is the name of the actual chamber where the tooth relic is kept.Former Prime Minister Ranasinghe Premadasa constructed the main shrine's golden canopy and the golden fence that surrounds the entire temple complex in 1987. Seven golden sarcophagi that have precious gemstone engravings surround the tooth relic. The procession casket that is used for the Kandy Esala Perahera is on display in the same room as the casket that represents a stupa.

Associated buildings and structures

Royal Palace

To the north of the temple is where the royal palace is located. John Pybus provides a thorough description of the royal palace while serving on an embassy in 1762.On this site, royal palaces were constructed by Vikramabahu III of Gampola (r. 1356–1374) and Sena Sammatha Wickramabahu of Kandy (r. 1469–1511). Kandy's Vimaladharmasuriya I decorated the palace in a number of ways. General Gerard Pietersz Hulft and the Dutch orientalist Philippus Baldaeus visited the palace in 1656. In Sinhalese, the royal residence was referred to as "Maha Wasala" beginning in the Polonnaruwa era. "Maligawa" (Palace) is another name for the royal palace. The main entrances were three Wahalkadas and an 8 feet (2.4 m) high wall.The oldest part of the palace is rumored to be the area facing the Natha Devale. Sir John D'Oyly, 1st Baronet of Kandy, a government agent, used it at the start of the British era. It has remained in use by D'Oyly's successors as their official residence. It is still there today and is a museum of archaeology. The palace's auxiliary structures include Ulpen Ge and Queens Palace.

Audience hall

The Kandyan kings held court in the audience hall, or magul maduwa. It was finished during Sri Vikrama Rajasinha's rule. A prime example of Kandyan period wood carving is found on the wooden pillars that support the wooden roof. It was built in 1783 by Sri Rajadhi Rajasinha of Kandy. For the reception of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales' arrival in 1872, the hall underwent renovation.The hall had a size of 58 by 35.6 feet (17.7 m by 10.9 m) before renovations; the new length is 31.6 feet (9.6 m). Other nearby structures to the halls are thought to have been destroyed during British rule. The Kandyan Convention was drafted in the audience hall, where it was also read aloud to the crowd and where the conference regarding the convention was held on March 2, 1815. Later, the Kandy Kachcheri and Kandy Supreme Court were built there. It is now preserved by the department of archaeology and used for state ceremonies.

Maha Maluwa

The general public visited "Maha Maluwa" to witness the yearly Esala perahera. Madduma Bandara's statue is still there today. Another attraction is the memorial that houses Keppetipola Disawe's skull. Here you can also find the statues of Prince Dantha and Princess Hemamali.

SIGIRIYA ROCK FORTRESS

SIGIRIYA ROCK

      King Kashyapa constructed the ancient rock fortress and palace known as Sigiriya, which towers majestuous 660 feet straight up. In Sri Lanka's central province, it is situated close to the town of Dambulla in the northern Matale district. The Lion's Rock, also known as Sigiriya or Sinhagiri, is where you must ascend 1200 steps before reaching the Lion Rock Fortress at the summit of Sigiriya. There are a number of platforms that divide the steps and give you the option of taking a brief rest if necessary. In 1982, UNESCO designated Sigiriya rock as a World Heritage Site under the name "Ancient City of Sri Lanka," making it one of the most well-known archaeological treasures in existence today.

Sigiriya Lion Rock's architectural design

This fortified garden city of the Sigiriya rock fortress is a remarkable example of ancient urban planning, landscape architecture, construction technology, exceptional hydraulic engineering and management, and fine art with a special harmony between nature and the imagination. All these tangible proofs show that it was a well-planned city and palace in the fifth century AD. The Sigiriya rock fortress, also known as a Living Museum, is one of Asia's best-preserved first-millennium ancient urban sites. The Sigiriya World Heritage Site is one of Sri Lanka's former political capitals and the country's most spectacular heritage site. It has a versatile and multifaceted appeal.

Sigiriya Rock Fortress History

 

The results of historical research conducted at the location provide proof that Sigiriya's origins date back to prehistoric times. Aligala (Elephant Rock), a monadnock, is located at the foot of Sigiriya Rock on its eastern side. Remains of prehistoric human settlements that existed here around 5,500 years ago have been found in a cave beneath this. Additionally, there is proof of human habitation in this region dating back to the 9th and 10th centuries B.C. 

A Buddhist monastery had been established at the Sigiriya rock fortress in the third century B.C. The base of the large rock has so far been home to thirty drip-ledged cave shelters that can house monks. Eight of them have Brahmi script inscriptions with information about cave shelter donations.

King Kasyapa (A.D. 477–495), who chose to make Sigiriya his seat of government, had all the major buildings that can be seen in Sigiriya today built during his reign. Sigiriya, according to renowned archaeologist Prof. Senerath Paranavithana, reflects the sensuality of a pleasure-loving king who based the city on the legend of god Kuvera's Alakamanda. The discovery of Indian and Roman coins and pottery from the Sassanian dynasty of Persia (Iran) in the Sigiriya rock fortress, as well as the similarity of the creation of pleasure gardens to Persian styles, all point to the existence of trade and cultural ties with foreign nations during this brief period.

7th century AD Sigiriya Lion Rock Fortress

 

But later, in the 6th and 7th centuries A.D., Sigiriya lost its political significance and once more turned into a monastery for Buddhist monks. The drip-ledged cave shelters from the earlier monastic phase were further improved during this time. Additional shrines were built, including a stupa, an image house, and a bodhi tree shrine. Up until the 12th and 13th centuries A.D., the monastic development was still in its second stage.

Sigiriya Rock from the 19th century

 

Sigiriya was completely forgotten for centuries until the 19th century, when the kings of Kandy used it as a military outpost. Later, Jonathan Forbes, a British military officer, was the one to resurrect Sigiriya from historical obscurity in 1832. The Archaeological Department started conducting archaeological work in Sigiriya in 1894 under the direction of H.C.P. Bell. The Central Cultural Fund took over the task nearly a century later, in 1982, and has been doing so successfully ever since.

Urban Design at Sigiriya Rock

 

A lion's rock The western precinct of Sigiriya, which covers 90 hectares, and the eastern precinct, which covers 40 hectares, are both fortified precincts. The western region was known as the "royal park area," a symmetrically planned pleasure garden with elaborate water-retention structures and surface and subsurface hydraulic systems. The rectangular area's inner precincts measure roughly 700 meters from east to west and 500 meters from north to south. It is surrounded by three ramparts and two moats.

The eastern region, which is on the opposite side of the Lion Rock in Sigiriya, appears to have been a ceremonial precinct with only a large central pavilion as a permanent structure. Within these walls, Kasyapa and his family led their lives. There are a number of boulder gardens and then terraced gardens that extend ever-increasingly inward from the two precincts before reaching the entrance to the Sigiriya rock. A lengthy passageway leading to the rock starts on the terrace gardens' western side and extends northward along the Mirror Wall to the Lion Platform.

Sigiriya's Water Garden and Landscape and Gardening

The Water Gardens stand out among Sigiriya's noteworthy characteristics. Although the Water gardens initially appear to be a single garden system in concept, there are actually four distinct parts that can be seen in their creation. At the moment, these parts are known as the Water Garden Nos. 1, 2, and 3, as well as the Miniature Water Garden.

Four large ponds in the shape of a "L" are symmetrically arranged in the Water Garden No. 1, creating an island in the center. It is known as "Char-Bagh" and is regarded as a special element in ancient garden designs. The example in Water Garden No. 1 appears to be the oldest example still existing in the modern world. The Fountain Garden is another name for the Water Garden No. 2, which has fountains. This Fountain Garden is bordered on either side by two summer palaces. Visitors will be curious about the water supply used for the fountains.

The summer palaces' moats, which are connected to secret underground channels that cleverly and unobtrusively feed the fountains, are where the solution can be found.  The balance and symmetry present in the other garden system sections are absent from Water Garden No. 3, which is situated at a higher elevation and has an asymmetrical layout. The Miniature Water Garden is a miniaturized improvement of the other three garden systems, sort of a micro scale model of the overall idea. The interdependence of the various Water Gardens' components, as well as their overall symmetry and integration. It is a victory that this was accomplished. 

Kingdom to colony

The native Sinhalese dynasty, the Moriya, was controlled by Kashyapa I in the fifth century, who also constructed Sigiriya. Up to Kashyapa's defeat in A.D. 495, the formidable castle served as the Sinhalese kingdom's capital. (Watch: An historic palace fortification in Israel overlooks this desolate desert.)

After Kashyapa, dynasties flourished and perished as a result of internal strife and battles between the indigenous Sinhalese and Indian invaders.

Several places, including Polonnaruwa, had the title of capital after Sigiriya. However, total control over Sri Lanka gradually deteriorated by the 12th century. The Rajarata region was abandoned as Sinhalese dominance withdrew to the southwest of the island, and the ancient administrative hubs, notably Sigiriya, began to fade from use.

Due to its location in the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka was exposed to European attempts to increase their level of dominance in the area. By the middle of the 1500s, the Portuguese had effectively exploited dynastic rivalries among Sri Lanka's ruling class and were in complete control of most of the island.

The Portuguese were succeeded as colonial rulers by the Dutch a century later; the Dutch were then succeeded by the British in the late 1700s. The last native, autonomous state on the island, the Kingdom of Kandy, joined the British Empire by 1815.

Knowledge is power

 

George Turnour, a civil worker, arrived on the island during the British colonial era. Turnour, an aristocrat, scholar, and enthusiastic historian, collaborated with a Buddhist monk to translate the Mahavamsa, a fifth-century chronicle written in Sri Lankan Pali, into English. He recognized Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura as the two ancient capitals based on this and other literature.

Turnour also examined the Culavamsa, a later history of Sri Lanka that detailed the reign of King Kashyapa. This Sinhalese prince assassinated his father, King Dhatusena, in the late fifth century and took the kingdom, usurping his brother, who had fled to India. He constructed the castle Sigiriya out of fear of retaliation, but in vain because his brother later defeated Kashyapa and Sigiriya lost its brief reign as the capital.

When Jonathan Forbes, a Scottish officer, became friends with Turnour in 1827 and learned about the legend surrounding Kashyapa and his castle, he made the decision to search for it. He left in 1831 in search of the ancient city's ruins, as predicted by locals.

"The rock of Sirigi [sic],... frowning defiance over the scant fields and the far-extending forest of the surrounding plain," he writes in his memoir, Eleven Years in Ceylon. He could see galleries and platforms carved into the rock as he got closer. Although two members of his company were able to scramble some distance upward, they also moved rocks, "which crashed among the boughs of trees at a great depth below."

Forbes ended the expedition because he was unsure if he had discovered the Sigiriya mentioned in the Buddhist texts. A few years later, when he returned, he followed the moat that encircled the gardens at the base of the rock but refrained from attempting to scale its face. He didn't think the name Sigiriya had anything to do with lions because he couldn't find any evidence to back up that theory.

Fabulous frescoes

British mountaineers finally made it to the summit in 1851, but Harry C.P. Bell, the Archaeological Commissioner of Ceylon, was tasked with surveying the location. The foundation for all subsequent studies has been his survey from the turn of the 20th century.

Bell painstakingly determined the layout of Kashyapa's fantastical city and provided detailed descriptions of the magnificent lion's paw carving at the entrance that Forbes had been unable to see.

Bell's survey lavished attention on the galleries on the rock face in addition to the elaborate water gardens at the base of the rock. Beautiful wall paintings that have become some of the most coveted pieces of Sri Lanka's artistic heritage are used to decorate these. Apsaras, celestial singers and dancers, may be shown in a total of 21 still-existing frescoes. (See also: The world's oldest animal drawing may be found in 40,000-year-old cave art.)

There are well over 1,000 graffiti pieces nearby that were scratched on the rock face by pilgrims and monks who visited the location between the eighth and the thirteenth centuries. When visitors from today read these old messages, they might feel a little uneasy. One of them says, "At Sigiriya, of abundant splendor, situated on the island of [Sri Lanka], we saw, in a happy mood, the rock that captivates the mind of all people who come here."

The Sigiriya rock foreigners entrance 

The Sigiriya Rock Fortress is derived from two words - 'Simha' meaning Lion, and 'Giri' meaning Mountain.

The site consists of the beautifully planned fortress, ruined halls, a citadel, the Mirror Wall, and many ancient paintings on the walls called 'Frescoes'.

Beautiful gardens and moats surround this fortress.

King Kashyapa built it after he shifted his capital to Sigiriya.

The entire climb takes about an hour and has the most ethereal looking views of the land below.

The climb is quite steep in some areas and is not recommended for the elderly.

The site opens at 7:00 AM from Monday to Saturday and is easily accessible from nearby towns.

The price is worth it, and you are sure to witness many breathtaking views.

Timings

The site is open from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM from Monday to Saturday.

Entry Fee: 

The entry fee is LKR 4500 per person.

Best Time To Visit Sigiriya Rock Fortress 

The best time to visit this place is from January to April.

The climate would be pleasant and not too hot.